The present invention relates to a staple cartridge employable for a motor driven stapler for stapling a plurality of printed papers or the like. The present invention also relates to a staple sheet pack utilized for the staple cartridge.
Various kinds of motor driven staplers each having a motor or a solenoid are commercially utilized. Usually, substantially inverted U-shaped staples are used by motor driven staplers. Alternatively, a staple sheet 2 having a plurality of straight staples 1 successively connected to each other in a side-by-side relationship as shown in FIG. 16 is used by the motor driven stapler. As shown in FIG. 17, a plurality of staple sheets 2 in the laminated state are received in a staple cartridge 3, which is molded of a transparent synthetic resin. The staple sheets 2 are normally biased in the downward direction by a compression coil spring 4, which applies a resilient force to a press plate 5. The staple sheets 2 are supported by base plates 6, which are angularly positioned adjacent to the lower edges of the sides of the staple cartridge 3, as shown in FIG. 18.
As shown in FIG. 19, the staple cartridge 3 is charged in a motor driven stapler 7. As a motor (not shown) is rotationally driven, a plurality of staple sheets in the laminated state, which is received in the staple cartridge 3, are successively and forwardly (i.e., in the leftward direction as viewed in FIG. 19) conveyed one-by-one along the lower surface of a guide portion 9 disposed at the front end of the staple cartridge 3 with the aid of a timing belt 8 or rollers (not shown). As a forming mechanism (not shown) is actuated, a staple located at the front end of the staple sheet is deformed to exhibit a substantially inverted U-shaped contour. Thereafter, it is driven toward the clincher 10 by a driver (not shown) of the forming mechanism so as to staple a plurality of recorded papers together.
Compared with the case in which a series of preliminarily deformed staples each having a substantially inverted U-shaped contour are used, the motor driven stapler having a staple cartridge containing a plurality of staple sheets in the laminated state does not necessitate supplementation of staples as frequently, since a larger number of staples can be received in the staple cartridge. Thus, the stapling operation can be achieved at a higher efficiency.
However, after consumption of all the laminated staple sheets received in the staple cartridge, the empty staple cartridge should be exchanged with a new one. In practice, it is difficult to treat the used staple cartridge, which is molded of a synthetic resin, as a waste material by burning it. Moreover, such disposal of the cartridge can inflict harmful effects upon the environment.
On the other hand, a recycling operation for used staple cartridges is ineffective and economically undesirable. Recycling would require a separating operation to be performed for separating components molded of a synthetic resin from components made of a metallic material.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art. Accordingly, an objective of the present invention resides in providing a staple cartridge which can be repeatedly reused without encountering any of the particular problems associated with disposable treatment of each used staple cartridge.